McDonald’s is forming an exciting and unlikely partnership for its latest Happy Meal by bringing together the worlds of SpongeBob SquarePants and ONE PIECE.
As lead agency, tms played a pivotal role in forming the partnership between the licensors and bringing the campaign to life by delivering the visual identity, strategy, retail experience, digital gameplay, packaging, and toy design and sourcing.
The SpongeBob SquarePants x ONE PIECE Happy Meal invites customers to embark on the ultimate treasure hunt united under the Golden Arches. While the two animated series differ, tms tapped into the common thread of adventure and love of the pirate life to bring them together. By pairing SpongeBob’s family-friendly familiarity with ONE PIECE’s adventure-led fandom, the collaboration gives Happy Meal a way to connect with fans across markets.
The Happy Meal features collectible SpongeBob SquarePants x ONE PIECE toys, designed and sourced by tms, which pair a SpongeBob character with a ONE PIECE-inspired outfit. The ship component of the toy is detachable, allowing fans to mix and match their characters, transforming play into a unique customizable experience.
Inside McDonald’s restaurants, tms developed a vibrant retail kit designed to immerse customers in the underwater adventure by leveraging the character illustrations. The dual-sided Happy Meal box features SpongeBob and ONE PIECE artwork, keeping in theme with retail elements while showcasing both partners in a bold manner.
tms designed the digital gameplay to extend the Happy Meal outside of restaurants and deepen the treasure quest theme, available in select markets. To play, customers must scan the code on their toy or Happy Meal box. Customers can then choose a unique character and navigate around on a ship to collect treasure in the sea.
The Happy Meal is set to launch in over 70 global markets.
“McDonald’s has always been a place where fans can connect with the characters and stories they love in new and unexpected ways. This unlikely collab creates the ultimate adventure for fans alike, supported by a fully integrated retail experience complete with exclusive, dual-branded toys,” Maria Liang, Manager, McDonald’s Global Family Marketing said.
“The partnership tms formed between SpongeBob SquarePants and ONE PIECE allows McDonald’s to tap into multigenerational fandoms and appeal to parents and kids in different ways. By finding shared truths between the distinct franchises, we created a Happy Meal that feels more like an immersive treasure hunt rather than a staple menu item,” Chantal Page, Senior Strategy Director at tms added.
CREDITS
Creative Director: Jared Hughes (Concept), Reneé Virgo (Vis ID / Retail), Julie LaMonica (Copy), Aaron Frutchey (Toy), Roberts Mapura (Digital)
Art Director: Noah Zaroff (Concept), Megan Luckett (Vis ID / Retail), Michele Burton (Retail), Adam Kois (Digital), Natalie Neumann (Illustration)
Brand Partnerships: Lola Fernandez Sasso
Head Of Strategy: Chantal Page
Account Management: Brian Torbik (IAT), Kenny Desai (IAT), Reed Scahill (IAT), Leah Walters (Digital), Siobhan Callahan (Toy), Thea Gardiner (Retail), Fede Gianfreda (Retail)
